In her essay How to Tame a Wild Tongue, Gloria Anzaldua discusses her experience as a Chicana who speaks many languages including Standard English, working-class and slang English, Standard Spanish, Standard Mexican Spanish, North Mexican Spanish, Chicano Spanish, Tex-Mex, and Pachuco. Anzaldua believes that ethnic identity is twin skin closely connected to linguistic identity. Amy Tan, in her essay Mother Tongue discusses the two Englishes she grew up with. Tan writes that her mothers limited English limited Tans perception of her motherTan believed that her mothers English reflected the quality of what she had to say (para.9). In his essay Americas languages: Tower of Babel or Asset? Domenico Maceri writes about heritage languages and linguistic diversity in the US, arguing that Americas languages are a wealth which goes unrecognized and that losing ones heritage language is a serious mistake.
Do you agree that a persons language (linguistic backgroundfamily language and so on) defines his or her identity?
Support your position with reasons and examples from at least TWO of the assigned readings (properly cited using MLA 7) as well as your observations and relevant experience.

Directions:
Carefully read and annotate all of the assigned articles. Highlight KEY ideas (each authors argumentclaims, evidence).
Outline your paper using the argument or reaction outline posted on Bb Content. (Print and complete the outline). Show it to me on Thursday 3/10 & Monday 3/14.
Write the 1st draft of your essay during the drafting sessionbring laptop to class on Thursday 3/10 and Monday 3/14.
Introduce the reading/authors in the intro paragraph (summarize their central ideasthesis/position on the issue of language and identity) using in-text citations.
Body paragraphs should focus on a major idea (claim) of each author (refer to the author throughout). The topic sentences must clearly state the major idea (with context) that will be analyzed in that paragraph. Paraphrase and/or quote the author (introduce/attribute all quotes and paraphrases and cite page # parenthetically). Follow with your detailed discussion and analysis (provide examples from the readings, observations, relevant experience). Add a concluding sentences (your conclusion about the paragraph topic).
Use appropriate transitions to guide the reader.
Address all parts of the essay prompt (see above).
Print a copy of your 1st draft. Using red pen, annotate it to revise content/organization and to edit grammar and mechanics. See revising and editing checklists on Bb content.
Read your paper aloud to check flow and fluency. Revise and edit as needed.
Save a copy of the first draft (save original); revise and edit the copythis will be your 2nd draft. Bring both drafts to midterm conferences. Visit the campus tutoring centers to go over your draft with tutors (LAC and WRLsave receipts for bonus credit).
Work on your final draft:
Make all necessary corrections.
Check citations (MLA 7in-text and parenthetical).
Include a properly formatted MLA 7 Works Cited page (see sample essays on Bb Content and OWL website).